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Dear Friends
Getting the Bug
Eleven months to go.........! so, what is "the millennium" about? Essentially, it is a contrived date agreed by government to celebrate the end of the second and the beginning third millennium AD. More importantly it is a moment to celebrate the 2000th birthday of the birth of Jesus Christ, the person received as divine and followed by over 900 million people across the world.
The task of the churches in the millennium is "to forge a link in people's minds between the year 2000, the name of Jesus Christ, and the possibility of personal meaning and public hope". If the churches do not do this, then nobody else will. So it is that we have been preparing for this moment for some time and will be instrumental in shepherding people through this time span in a spirit of celebration, but also mindful of the apprehensive, fearful and just plain worried people (e.g. is Armageddon the day of judgement about to come with the second coming of the Christ - the Christian answer has to be "possibly").
We attempt to do this together uniting ecclesiastical and civil authorities and those who they represent. Locally all three parishes in this benefice have each convened a forum for discussion, pooling of ideas and schemes to create not only permanent, tangible artefacts as a possible memorial of the millennium but also sensitive time tabling of ceremonies and communal gatherings, mindful of the lonely and aged as well as the young, whose new millennium it will be particularly.
Why tell you all this now? Well, here is the millennium resolution, which text will accompany a commemorative candle for each household...."Let there be respect for the earth, peace for its people, love in our lives, delight in the good, forgiveness for past wrongs and from now on, a new start."
February 17th is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, the season in the churches year of preparation and depending of faith, as again we trace Jesus' steps towards his crucifixion and ultimate resurrection for us. The new start he offers us is permanently on offer if we confess our short comings and ask for forgiveness, it is the gospel of the second chance, a new start.
So as we turn our eyes to the end of the year, let us use Lent and Easter to focus on the real issue, or more particularly the real person.
Yours Sincerely
Mark
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